Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.
It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.
To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at
If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.
Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
What is beauty but a breath? Fancies twin at birth & death, The colour of a damask rose, That fadeth when the northwind blowes: 'tis such that though all sorts do crave it, they know not what it is to have it: a thing that some time stoops not to a king and yet most open to the commonst thing: For she that is most fair, Is open to the aire.
Authorship
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)
- by Thomas Greaves (fl. 1604), "What is beauty but a breath", published 1604, from Songs of sundrie kindes [text verified 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):
- GER German (Deutsch) (Linda Godry) , title 1: "Ist Schönheit nicht wie des Atems Hauch?", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Linda Godry
This text was added to the website: 2007-08-14
Line count: 10
Word count: 71
Ist Schönheit nicht wie des Atems Hauch? Zwiefach anwesend bei Geburt und Tod, wie die zarte Farbe der Damaszener Rose, die vergeht wenn der Nordwind bläst: all jene, die sie begehren wissen nicht was sie mit sich bringt: sie die sich oft nicht mal vor den Königen verneigt und doch jedwedem eigen sein kann: denn Sie, die die allerschönste ist, gehört niemandem und verweht im Wind.
Authorship
- Translation from English to German (Deutsch) copyright © 2007 by Linda Godry, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact:
- a text in English by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist
This text was added to the website: 2007-08-14
Line count: 10
Word count: 66